Dollfuss Again Reassures Jews

February 25, 1934

VIENNA (Feb. 23)

Jews of Austria need have no fear that there will be any change in their political or legal status in the event of a accord being reached between Austria and Germany, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency was informed today in an official, exclusive statement by a high government official in the name of Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss.

“The government does not stand on the race viewpoint. It is not anti-Semitic,” the statement issued in the name of dollfuss asserts. “furthermore,” it continues, “all apprehensions of an alteration in the government attitude to the Jewish question in the event of an accord with Nazi Germany are completely unfounded. An accord with Germany is posible only on the basis of mutual non-interference iin our internal affairs or there will be no accord.” The government does not intend to permit any inner political changes along Nazi ‘Aryan’ lines.”

HITS NAZI CLAIMS

Attacking Nazi claims that a majority of the population is behind the movement, the official statement belittled these assertions and proclaimed the readioness of the government to deal with the movement.

“The Nazi movement in Austria,” the statement issued for the Chancellor pointed out, “is overestimated abroad. A number of well-organzed youths know how to attract attention without a real hold on the population. The government is quite prepared to deal with the Nazi movement, too, of it is necessary.

“All fears of the Jews in the land or abroad concerning the Nazi demands may be dispersed since the government is determined to adhere to its present attitude towards the Nazis.”

The statement, however, did no conver action by the Jews irrespective of the Nazi situation Chancellor dollfuss addressing British and American newspaper men ysterday, declared that the government policy toward the Jews will remain unaltered. He declared that the costitutional changes now under way will not affect the political and legal status of the Jews of Austria.

ABROGATION SOUHT

The Chancellor’s assertions yesterday adn the statement issued in his name today came in the middle of widespread agitation among the Chancellor’s staunchest supporters for abrogation of Jewish rights in Austria and the establishment of a restrictibble quota for the Jews in most fields of endeavor. Demands for this step are being voiced not only in the Fascist Heimwehr, the chief military support of Dollfuss, which is strongly permeated with anti-Semitism, but also among the high ranking officials of the Christian socialist party of which dolfuss, himself, is a member.